1886 pattern NCO Wakizashi

[pcfarrar]

I recently purchased this sword and from browsing Fuller and Gregory I believe it might be an 1885 pattern NCO sword. Apparently these are very rare swords and Fuller/Gregory couldn't find any to show in the book apart from a couple of photos.

 

The blade appears to be an old wakizashi, I can see traces of the hamon but haven't had chance to clean it up a bit yet. I have yet to remove the nakago from the handle.

 

The blade is quite short around 13" nagasa.

 

My question is, is this an 1886 pattern NCO blade? Also what could the number on the handguard mean??

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

 

[pcfarrar]

After a lot of hassle I finally got the nakago out. It was wrapped in old cloth so I dont think the nakago has been removed for a long time.

 

Can anyone make out the mei, something hisa. I just cant get the first kanji. Very suprised as I thought it would be o-suriage. After some work with the fingerstones it has a very nice mino hamon.

 

[Stephen]

very interesting find, I cant quite make out the mei..maybe a closer shot?

[pcfarrar]

Hi Stephen,

 

Close up attached.

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

 

 

 

[Stephen]

id think the first is Masa ? hisa, im sure Nobody will set us right.

[w.y.chan]

The tang look like its been reworked to fit on the D guard. What do you think?

[Stephen]

Yes absolutely

[pcfarrar]

Could the mount be a very early Meiji piece? It seems strange that it has no arsenal markings or stamps so it must have been a private purchase??

[Nobody]

I am not so sure about the mei. The first kanji looks Mune (宗) to me. I think that the mei could be Munehisa (宗久) or Munetsugu (宗次).

[Stephen]

the blade at Shinto remounted for the D guard, ill work with hisa in Tosho to see if i can find anyting ending in hisa that matches the fisrt kanji.

[w.y.chan]

I am guessing it might be originally a longer sword that was cut down, the tang reworked so it can fit on the D mount and then repatinated.

[Stephen]

I dont think it was much more that a wak with the Nakago reshaped, the pluged hole tells alot and the rust looks good for Shinto wak...ive been wrong before but i dont think it was ever a Daito if thats what your getting at.

[w.y.chan]

Not a daito but a longer wak based on the shape it a good few inches longer. Not sure if that is a genuine plug hole, if it is one cannot rule out it was done deliberately.

[pcfarrar]

I'm not so sure it is cut down. It's a very thin slender blade. I think its always been a little ko-wakizashi. Maybe even a boys sword.